Lee calls for proactive prevention of violent crimes to build 'supersafe' society

President Lee Jae Myung on Friday called for proactive efforts to prevent violent crimes to ensure a "supersafe" society following a series of violent crimes targeting random victims or family members.

The president made the remarks at a meeting involving all levels of government aimed at building a supersafe country amid heightened public safety fears following a stabbing spree targeting random people at a building in Incheon last week and a suspected arson earlier this week, in which a man set fires at two buildings in southern Seoul.

Several people were injured in the stabbing attack, with one of them having been left unconscious, while 19 people were injured, one of them seriously, in the suspected arson.

Also last week, a man was apprehended after allegedly stabbing his mother-in-law to death and kidnapping his estranged wife, prompting public outcry over the police's failure to prevent the crime despite previous warning signs.

"This situation in which people are forced to worry about their safety in their everyday lives should not be allowed to continue," Lee said, adding that response measures should be prepared with the determination to wage war against violent crimes.

He called on officials to devise a system to detect warning signs early, calling for stronger crime-prevention efforts.

The president also called for an action plan involving all levels of government aimed at building a supersafe society, saying it would serve as a starting point for a society "where anyone can tangibly enjoy safety and security."

The meeting brought together officials from nine government bodies, including ministers or vice ministers from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, as well as the police.

Yonhap